Statement by Klondike MLA Sandy Silver on mental health motion

Sandy Silver today issued the following statement on a mental health motion he plans to call for debate Wednesday, April 15:

“With my first motion of the spring sitting of the legislature I plan to raise a topic I have been hearing a great deal about: mental health services.

Despite promises dating back to 2011 we remain one of only two jurisdictions in Canada without a mental health strategy in place and it shows where mental health is on this government’s priority list.

In the past two years the government has commissioned two expensive reports that have highlighted the significant deficit outside of Whitehorse when it comes to mental health services and the need for a territorial mental health prevention and treatment strategy.

The government’s own reports have told it to expand mental health services, especially in the communities and have confirmed there is there is no greater health care need.

Given the government’s stated support for developing such a strategy I expect the motion will receive support from the opposite benches.”

Sandy Silver’s motion is number 893, which reads THAT this House urges the Government of Yukon to follow through on its commitment to develop a mental health strategy.